We Stand Alone
by mainemom22
Summary: JakeHeather story with some other Jericho residents making some appearances
1. Chapter 1

**All usual disclaimers apply.**

**Thank to skyrose and SherryG for all the beta help.**

**1st time I've tried something like this so no throwing stones.**

**We Stand Alone**

**Chapter 1**

Leaning against the rail on the front porch of Stanley's farmhouse, Jake began to recall the events over the past three weeks since the day his father had passed. Jake thought he could handle anything given his past experiences but now he wasn't so sure. The bomb and the craziness that ensued had seemed almost impossible to believe but the loss of his father had truly devastated him. He had been at odds with his father most of his life but these past few months had changed that. His father was proud of him. Jake had to take solace in that. It was the only thing he felt he had left. Since Johnston's death he had been operating on autopilot. The funerals, the care of the injured, the negotiations for peace with New Bern and dealing with Colonel Hammond… it had all left Jake totally drained. He did however, still have the support of his remaining family and friends but there was now an emptiness he knew could never be filled.

Since the war with New Bern, Jake had become Jericho's de facto leader. Even Gray, who normally relished the power of being Mayor deferred to Jake when it came time to make any decisions of consequence. He had seen Jake grow from a troublesome boy to his father's son and had no choice but to respect that. Jake had led them on the battlefield and the citizens of Jericho followed him. Besides, Gray had come to realize that he was in way over his head dealing with tactical military situations and Jake was the only one now with the experience to deal with these issues. The only way Jericho was to survive was to listen to Jake and what he had to say. He had saved this town too many times not to listen to him. Gray would handle the day-to-day responsibilities of the town and that was fine with him, at least for now. He wanted to make it out alive just as everyone else did.

Colonel Hammond had brokered a tentative peace between New Bern and Jericho but only after Jake had made his case to the Colonel regarding Constantino and the punishment he thought he deserved. Constantino had been responsible for the attempted invasion and destruction of Jericho and its citizens, the death of his father, the torture of his brother and Heather's Lisinski's death. Heather… what Jake wouldn't give to be distracted by her again. Despite everything he had experienced in his past somehow she had always managed to surprise him. She knew how to strip wires and fix ventilation systems, not to mention make ice from fertilizer and that kiss. He would never forget that kiss. He wondered what feelings he may of developed for her if this were a different time and place. He had been an idiot about that kiss and she called him on it, right in front of his father. That girl definitely had guts. Jake shook his head to himself and said out loud without noticing "What I wouldn't give to hear Heather's voice just one more time."

Colonel Hammond instantly recognized Heather's name at the negotiations as the girl from the camp but said nothing at the time about it. He had seen a change in Jake's eyes at the mention of her name and decided this new found information could be useful. He took a mental note to deal with it later, he had more important things to worry about now such as the decision regarding Constantino's future. Unfortunately for Jake, he wasn't going to like the decision.

The negotiations had been an excruciating process for both sides. With no one entirely happy with the result. Hammond decided that New Bern would retain custody of Constantino under Russell's control. If he offered Constantino up on a silver platter to Jake and the citizens of Jericho that would mean setting a dangerous precedent. Constantino would be judged by his peers from home. If Jake had his way, there would be no trial and all this would be dealt with swiftly. Jake had surmised that if he let his personal feelings for Constantino get in the way, he would be putting Jericho at risk. His natural leadership abilities and his father's voice in his head told him this. There would be time in the future for what Jake wanted, right now their own survival was of greater importance than his revenge.

Hammond was able to broker a deal so that a percentage of Jericho's first harvest would be sent to New Bern for payment on the windmills along with enough salt to preserve their food and some extra for trading. New Bern, on the other hand, was to continue building additional windmills to power Jericho along with enough spare parts to fix them, should the need arise. The military had brought some supplies with them - barely enough to get through until harvest time. Even with rationing it was going to be tight. There would be a chance for more negotiations in the future now that Russell would be leading New Bern. Gray, as usual, had not wanted to give anything at the negotiations, it was with Jake's prodding that he finally relented and agreed. Gray was always worried about the right now and could never really see the big picture of things. At least he wasn't offering Jake too much resistance. Jericho did need to come first.

With greater unrest spreading across the Midwest, Colonel Hammond would have to leave soon to restore order. To ensure that this new brokered peace would be kept, he ordered that a liaison be left behind to keep him apprised of any situations that may need his attention. Neither Jake or Russell were actually thrilled about having a stranger poke around, but arguing with Hammond would not do any good, he was not going to change his mind. Knowing that this liaison could contact him by radio at any time would hopefully deter anyone from getting any bright ideas about breaking the peace.

The arrival of the liaison would also set into motion Hammond's plan to accomplish his real mission - that of finding the package and the woman who possessed it. He knew as soon as he met Jake at the Richmond farm and saw the suspicion in his eyes that his balls to the wall attitude would only make things worse once he started questioning the townspeople of Jericho. He had suggested to Valente that the liaison, who would have the finesse and diplomacy he didn't have, work undercover to find Sarah and the package. So here he was waiting for this liaison that Valente deemed appropriate to handle their current situation. The only thing Hammond new about this guy was his name, Nick Bradford.

The sound of an incoming helicopter which signaled the arrival of the liaison snapped Jake from his lonely thoughts. He was still standing on the front porch of the Richmond farm when it landed. He knew that Hammond would be leaving shortly, only a few tents remained but you could see from the mussed grass around the farmhouse, the military unit had left its mark. Jake just wondered if that would be all. From the moment he saw the man him disembark from the chopper, he had a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach. Jake saw this liaison as an outsider that could be trouble, especially for Hawkins and Jericho's safety - their safety. The man shook the colonel's hand and they moved toward Jake for formal introductions.

The Colonel motioned to Jake "Jake Green, this is Nick Bradford. Nick, this is Jake Green. He leads Jericho's security force."

The two men exchanged cordial handshakes and Jake motioned for Stanley, who had been waiting next to a vehicle to come over.

"Mr. Bradford," Jake began, but was cut off quickly by the newcomer.

"Please, call me Nick." was his response.

Jake did not want this Nick Bradford at ease, he wanted him to know that he wasn't in favor of this plan for Jericho to have a babysitter. Jake didn't trust him and he wanted him to know it. "Bradford", this is Stanley Richmond, he'll be taking you into town to meet with Gray Anderson, Jericho's mayor. I'll join you shortly." Nick eyes lit up and he hid a slight smirk at Jake's reaction as he reached for Stanley's hand to shake it. They then made their way to the beat up old truck that would take them into town. Jake followed Stanley to the driver's side door and quietly said "Keep an eye on him, and ask Gray not to answer any of Bradford's questions 'til I get there. I don't trust him as far as I can throw him." The inflexion is Jake's voice when he said "ask" made a grin come to Stanley's face. Ask was the last thing on Jake's mind, tell was more like it, Stanley surmised. With that Stanley nodded his head and pulled away slowly. Jake knew if there was one person he could trust it would be Stanley - he just wished he felt the same way about Gray.

As Jake turned his attention back to Colonel Hammond, he noticed his attaché approach him and whisper something into his right ear. The colonel nodded and turned to Jake. "It looks like our time is almost up here. I have a few minor things to attend to before we pull out, if there are any problems just have Bradford radio me and we'll see what we can do."

Jake offered his hand out to Hammond and he accepted it. Jake was still suspicious but Colonel Hammond and his troops had saved a lot of lives.

"Thank you, ……Thank you for saving our town."

Colonel Hammond studied Jake for a moment. He decided that if this had been a different time or place he might like to sit down and have a beer with him. A sense of foreboding at the back of his mind reminded him that Jake and Jericho stood in the way of the mission to find Sarah and the package. He was not looking forward to where all this may be headed.

As the jeep pulled up to collect the colonel, he turned to Jake, "I've left something for you in my tent… a treasure of sorts. Promise me you'll take care of it. Truth be told… that's the real reason we're here." Hammond had hoped this gesture would begin to ease Jake's distrust in him. It's a start, at least, he thought to himself. If he was going to avoid any bloodshed in the future, he would need to gain Jake's trust. At that, the jeep pulled away down the long and winding road from the Richmond farm.

Intrigued by his cryptic message, Jake made his way over to the tent that had once been occupied by Colonel Hammond. He lifted up the flap to enter, and came to a dead stop just inside. There were a hundred different things running through his mind all at once trying to make sense of what was before him.


	2. Chapter 2

**We Stand Alone**

Chapter 2

Jake felt his knees weaken, and the breath leave his body - he was frozen. She always had a way of stopping the craziness that seemed to surround him. She made it possible for him to catch his bearings, even if it was only for a moment. But how could this be happening? Eric had told him she was dead. That she had been killed trying to prevent Constantino's invasion of Jericho. She was seated and her back was towards him, but he knew it was her. Her chestnut hair fell just below her shoulders which was a little longer due to the time that had passed. Her elbow was resting on the arm of the chair and her hand was holding her cheek,.

Heather had tried to sneak aboard one of the many vehicles that was heading to Jericho once she had felt physically able too but was promptly put on a transport to the refugee camp. It was by total surprise when outside Cheyenne they reversed course back towards Jericho. Heather had wondered why she was granted this miracle but decided not to question it too thoroughly. She was on her way home. She just hoped there was still enough of Jericho left to call home. Colonel Hammond had not been interested in breaking up the conflict between Jericho and New Bern but something had happened to change his mind. Heather was thankful nonetheless that help was on its way. After days of sometimes harrowing travel she found herself inside Colonel Hammond's tent with orders to wait. Wait for what, she wasn't sure.

"You?." Jake was only able to get that one word out before stopping to catch his breath. It was soft, almost a whisper and full of emotion.

Heather rose from the chair and turned slowly around keeping her eyes trained towards the ground. She had heard that voice comforting her in her dreams and she prayed that when she looked up it would be true. Jake stood only a few feet away from her now. Heather reached for the arm of the chair to steady herself and started searching Jake's eyes for the comfort she so desperately needed.

It seemed like forever since she had been home. Even though at their last meeting she had expressed to Jake her theory of why they wouldn't work, all Heather could think about was the fact that this was the first time in a long time that she felt safe. Jake made her feel safe. Her long, desperate journey was over.

Jake was still trying to shake the disbelief from his head when he managed to utter "How?" Heather's reaction to this second question caught his attention. She closed her eyes, swallowed hard, and held her breath at the sound of that one word. It wounded him, he had never seen her so uncomfortable, unsettled. It was far from Heather-like. Jake started walking slowly towards her.

Heather found that she wasn't able to move and she could find no words to answer his question. She just stood there, waiting for him. Jake studied Heather's face closely, she looked exhausted and he could see what appeared to be the remainder of some type of injury and bruising just at her hair line. He never would have seen it if he hadn't been so close. He looked straight into her eyes and rested both his hands on her shoulders.

Heather dropped her head into Jake's chest and he wrapped his arms tightly around her. She sighed deeply, like it was the first breath she had taken in a very long time. She had been so naive before they left for Black Jack. Things were different now. She wished she could turn back to that moment and change her mind about her decision to go to New Bern. If she knew what had been in store for her she gladly would have, but then, would Jericho have been warned in time? She just hoped her reaction would go unnoticed.

With his arms around Heather, Jake felt the heartache he carried with him these past few weeks regarding her passing start to evaporate from the depths of his soul. For the first time since he had lost his father, the outside world disappeared. He thought of nothing else but how good it felt to have Heather in his arms.

Their reverie did not last for long the sound of a vehicle backfiring caused Heather to tense and she broke from their embrace and looked up at Jake. It was then that he noticed a look coming from her eyes. One that he had seen too many times reflecting back at him in the mirror. The look of someone who wanted to forget.

"Please," she hesitated "Take me home?"

Jake studied her for a moment before nodding his head and taking her hand in his to lead her to his truck. It was time to meet with this Bradford character and he knew that Heather was not ready to talk yet. She would have to talk soon though. There was no way around that. Whatever it was, he decided it couldn't be good. Jake opened the door for Heather and watched her climb inside. He then made his way to the other side and got in. His ride to town would no longer be lonely.

It took Heather all of two minutes to fall asleep on the drive in to town, but Jake was comforted by her quiet presence. Heather was alive. She had brought hope back to Jake. Yet again, when he needed something to keep him going she was there. It was as though she knew that her presence was exactly what he needed. That day at the bus when they were heading to the mine she knew he needed reassurance and she gave that to him with a little touch. She looked beautiful sitting in the truck beside him, but there was something different about her now. She seemed almost broken. As they rounded the last turn before entering town, Jake looked over at Heather beside him. A small smile appeared on his face, something he thought he would never do again.

Gray Anderson had just completed his tour of Main Street with Nick Bradford when the truck carrying Jake and Heather approached town. Stanley raised his hand giving the cue to stop just in front of the town hall. As the truck came to a stop, Jake nudged Heather awake. She yawned and stretched her arms up over her head. She then turned to Jake.

"I'm sorry." Heather said

"Sorry, sorry about what?" Jake replied

"It took longer than a couple of days to get back here. I really did try but things beyond my control kept getting in the way, you know how it is." Heather raised an eyebrow towards Jake and chuckled a little bit.

Jake nodded his head and said with a small laugh "yeah, I'm getting pretty used to that." For that one second it seemed like they could be having this conversation weeks ago. He enjoyed the levity in her voice. He could see that girl that made him smile when he didn't want to, the one that seemed too embarrassed to even speak to him. He relished this moment. He then saw Stanley approaching the truck.

"Heather, people are probably going to have a lot of questions for you. Are you ready for this?" Jake asked. I think I can put them off for now but you know you'll need to talk about it sometime"

Heather shrugged her shoulders and looked down at her hands. "Do,…Don't know as I have a choice. I know I'll have to explain soon, but I just can't right now." was all she could muster for an answer.

Their conversation was interrupted by Stanley opening the passenger side door and scooping Heather up in his arms and spinning her around.

"Well, what do we have here?" Stanley whooped. He set Heather down and gave her a big hug. "I'm glad to see that the rumors of your death have been greatly exaggerated."

"Isn't that from a movie or something?" Heather replied.

"Yeah", I've always wanted to say it though. "And, I am glad that I could say it to you.

This town ain't been the same without you . I know I feel a whole lot better now that our resident genius is back."

Heather smiled and flung her arms around Stanley's neck "It's good to know that I was missed Stanley, and yes, it is good to be home."

Jake had watched this exchange from the corner of his eye and tried not to show any emotion, his focus was on that of Nick Bradford. He hoped that Gray was able to keep his mouth shut. If he wasn't, Jake was sure that Stanley had come up with a not so subtle way of changing the subject. Jake wanted "Bradford" to know that he didn't trust him, not by a long shot. By only referring to him by his last name, Jake would have no problem driving his point home.

Gray approached Jake and with his usual tact wanted to know where in the hell Heather had come from and how she had gotten back to Jericho. The tone in Gray's voice when he asked wasn't that of curious friend or mayor, it was that of suspicion and Jake did not like it, not one bit.

Gray gave Jake a look to know that he wanted to speak with him and made his way closer to the town hall steps. Gray, never being known as tactful, began to unload his theory to Jake.

"Jake, we all thought she was dead and now what? Poof! She shows up just like that. The negotiations have all been completed with New Bern and Constantino may be in jail, but you know as well as I do he still has power there. How do we know that she isn't some sort of spy that's been sent to try and gather more intelligence for another invasion? She's been gone a long time, Jake."

"Are you crazy? She was almost killed trying to sabotage the munitions plant. Eric was with her up until"…

Gray interrupted Jake "Up until when Jake,… she died?" Gray paused and took a deep breath "All I am saying is that it was her choice to go to New Bern in the first place, did you ever ask yourself why? How do we know that she isn't working for New Bern now and that her death wasn't faked?"

Gray saw the anger flash in Jake's eyes just like he used to see with Johnston. Before he could react Jake grabbed his shirt. Stanley and Nick rushed forward grabbing Jake to restrain him. Gray knew instantly that he had voiced yet another unfavorable opinion and looked in Heather's direction. She began shaking her head and placed her hand on her hip with a - you have to be kidding me - posture. As mayor, he reasoned, he still needed to consider all possible scenarios to keep them safe. Jake settled himself and nodded to the men holding him back.

"Heather saved us Gray. Jake tried to say calmly. "She saved this whole town. Colonel Hammond never would have been here if it weren't for her. He is the one that brought her back to Jericho. He told me himself that she was the reason they came to help us in the first place. She left to turn the lights on for all of Jericho and she saved your ass in the process."

Gray seemed stunned that Heather could have been responsible for their survival. Heather, in the meanwhile had taken a seat on the curb next to the truck. What color she had in her face was drained and she looked as though she was going to be sick. Jake rushed to her side and sat down beside her.

"Heather, you alright?

Gray piped in "I'm sorry you heard all of that, it's just, you never know."

Heather raised her hand "It's ok, I accept your apology. I understand." She really did understand. She had been through more in the past few months than she had experienced her whole life. Heather also knew that it could be a real chore to deal with Gray. She wondered what the town was thinking when they had elected him Mayor instead of Johnston Green. The color, however, did not return to her face and she still appeared sick.

"What's wrong?" Jake asked.

"It's just,….I…..I didn't realize that Constantino was still…..her voice trailed off. I guess I thought, well I guess I didn't think." Heather suddenly seemed so small sitting there next to Jake. He knew that there was more to her reaction that Constantino was still alive and in New Bern than she let on. He wondered what kind of torment Heather had endured at Constantino's hands. It stirred his anger for Constantino even more.

Feeling the need to change the subject, Heather raised her gaze to the stranger standing in front of her. She stood, offering her hand to the blonde haired stranger standing in front of her.

"Heather Lisinski", she replied "It's nice to meet you. I'm sorry about all this by the way."

Nick Bradford extended his hand to hers and shook it. "Nick Bradford, please call me Nick. There is no need to apologize, by the sound of things you've been through a lot lately." He noticed Jake's glare on him as he took her hand.

"So, where did you come from anyway?" Heather wondered who this new person was.

"Colonel Hammond sent me to keep an eye on the situation here. To sort of maintain the status quo, until hopefully we can stabilize our current situation with the government. I believe that Mayor Anderson is organizing a meeting for tomorrow and I'll be happy to answer any questions that you may have about me or my role then. And now it's my turn to apologize to you. I really must get up to speed with the layout of the town and set up an office for operations. So if you will excuse us, I believe that we were about to head out to view the salt mine."

Bradford turned to Stanley and nodded. He then turned towards the truck parked down the block, scribbling down some notes as he walked.

Gray turned to see Jake looking apprehensive. Tell me this Jake, why don't you trust him? Colonel Hammond sent him, after all."

"Who's to say Colonel Hammond's government is the U.S. government? How do we know that we aren't on the wrong side of the line in all of this?" was Jake's response. "Besides, Gray, I never said anything about trusting Hammond. Hell, I don't even trust you."

Gray seemed stunned at Jake's last statement but knew that he was right about Hammond and Bradford. "I'll go with them and don't worry, he won't get anything from me that I don't discuss with you first. You know Jake, I'm not the enemy I just want to make sure we make it out of this alive." Gray turned and followed Stanley and Bradford to the truck. He knew that he would have to be more careful in the future with how he expressed his opinions. This had always been a problem for him, it had already cost him his marriage. If he was going to become a leader that Jericho could count on, he would have to take his lessons from none other than Johnston Green's son. It was a hard pill to swallow, but Gray was after something he had searched for all his life - respect.

Jake turned to find Heather standing next to his truck. "You look exhausted, how about I get you home? Do you want to finish that walk we started so long ago?"

A small smile came across her face and Heather nodded. She turned and started walking with Jake down Main Street. She took in her surroundings as they walked in silence. She thought about her students and the friends that she had missed and then her mind settled on the man walking just to her left. This was the first time in a long time that she was able to think about something normal. It was good to be home.


	3. Chapter 3

**We Stand Alone**

**Chapter 3**

The walk to Heather's apartment was filled with a contented silence. Jake was lost in his thoughts about how lucky he was that Heather was back home. He would have the chance to find out what this pull was between them. He was also anxious to know the details of what had happened to Heather so that he could help her come to terms with it. In what little time he had been able to spend with Heather he had determined that her reactions seemed hauntingly familiar to his own after coming back to the States from Iraq. He still wrestled with his demons from that time and hoped that whatever it was that Heather had been through, she would have an easier time coming to terms with it than he did.

Heather, on the other hand, was thinking about how good it felt to be home and about things getting back to normal. She kind of giggled to herself at this thought. Normal now was far away from how things used to be. She realized, however, that things would remain how they were until she dealt with what had happened in New Bern. She had hoped that Constantino was dead and never allowed herself to think otherwise. Her search for some sort of serenity had just taken a major detour. Not only would she have to deal with what happened, she would most likely have to confront the man who had started it all. She also had to give Jake some credit, she knew that he had wanted answers but he had cared enough to give her the space she needed not only from him but the whole town.

As they rounded the corner onto Elm Street, Heather pointed to a garage that had been converted into a small one bedroom apartment. Once inside, Heather took a quick glance around to see that everything was still in its place only a lot more dusty then she liked.

"You have a nice place." Jake said off-handedly to break the ice.

"Thanks, it seems much smaller now, though." Heather answered.

Heather made her way over to the couch and sat down. In her mind during the past few weeks all she could think of was being home. She hoped being here now would make her feel more herself. Jake made his way over to her and took her hand in his. "I don't know how it's possible that you're here, Eric told me that, well…., Eric told me you were dead." Heather raised a finger and pressed it to Jake's lips to quiet him.

"Things happened in New Bern, Jake, things that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Just let me get my bearings, I promise that I will tell you everything that you want to know, I just need a little more time." Jake nodded and grasped her hand a little tighter to show his support. Heather lifted her gaze from their hands to Jake's eyes and said in a soft voice "The Colonel's attaché told me about your Dad, Jake. I am so sorry that I wasn't able to get help here in time to save him, to stop this from ever happening."

Jake saw that look pass over her face again. The one that said she wanted to forget. It was now his turn to quiet her. "My father's death was not your fault. None of this is your fault. The person to blame for all of this is sitting in a cell in New Bern. Constantino will pay for what he did, what he did to all of us. I never thought about a world without my father in it. Now people are looking to me for guidance like they used to look to him. God I wish he was still with us."

Heather nodded and said "I know that logically you are right, but I just feel so bad about it, like there was something else I could have done. Johnston believed in you Jake. I saw the way that he looked at you. He saw the man that you have become. He is with you now in every decision you make. Heather reached for Jake's other hand and held it with hers and stared into his eyes. "We'll get though this, I promise."

Just then there was a knock at the door. Heather went to answer it and opened it just enough to see who it was. Jimmy stood on the other side of the door. "I'm glad you're back safe Heather, but I'm trying to track down Jake, is he still here?"

Heather opened the door fully to reveal Jake sitting on her couch. "Hey, Jimmy, you need something?" Jake asked.

"Gray sent me to find you. He's back at the Town Hall with Nick Bradford. He said he needed to meet with you to discuss tomorrow's meeting. Can you come?"

Jake let out a big sigh and said "Sure Jimmy, let Gray know that I will be there in a few minutes."

Jake really didn't want to leave Heather, but he didn't trust Gray enough to leave him alone with Bradford for too long. He made his way to her and sought her eyes for permission. Just a few hours ago he was wishing to hear her voice again and now here she was back from the "dead". Jake placed both of his hands on either side of Heather's head so that he would have her full attention.

"I was so close to giving up hope today. You brought me back from the edge of somewhere…well somewhere I really didn't want to go." Jake's eyes started to tear and he noticed that Heather's were as well. I thought about you. This whole time…..I thought about you. I've carried you with me everywhere." Jake hesitated for a moment. "You need to know, that I'm not sure exactly what my feelings are for you, but there is no way in hell I'm going to let this chance slip through my fingers again." and with that Jake pulled Heather against him and kissed her softly, taking in her taste on his lips. It was just how he had remembered it. He deepened their kiss as she wrapped her arms around him. Jake felt pure passion in this kiss. It was a passion that he had longed for. As Jake slowly backed away from Heather he made sure to keep eye contact. He wanted her to know that he meant everything he had just said.

This time Heather was the one who had been surprised by the kiss. Though she had thought about this and similar scenarios, she believed that it was far from the realm of possibilities. Jake was gentle with his kiss for her. She needed a soft place to land so badly. If it would have been physically possible, she would be levitating right now. The assurance she got by the way he looked at her afterwards made her believe her earlier promise about getting through all of the hard times to come.

"I'll be back to check on you as soon as I can, you should probably get some rest, I have a feeling that things are going to be busy the next few days." Jake said as he released Heather from their embrace.

Heather nodded and asked "Jake, before you go, I uh….Would it….Do you have a gun I could have?" she finally blurted out realizing how silly this question must have sounded as it came out of her mouth. "It's just, well I know I would feel a lot safer if I had some sort of protection here with me."

Jake was surprised by Heather's request. She wasn't the type to want anything to do with guns. Jake also knew that she was rattled and this was probably a way to ease her mind. "Here," Jake reached into the back of his jeans and pulled out a pistol and handed it to Heather. "The safety is on; all you have to do is push the button up, aim and pull the trigger."

The more Jake thought about leaving Heather alone the more uneasy he became. "Why don't you let me have Jimmy take you to Emily's or to my Mom's so you don't have to be alone."

Heather gave Jake a small smile to ease his nerves. "I really need time in my own space Jake. I need time to find myself. I'll be fine, besides you said you'd come back to check on me, right? Jake nodded. "Ok then, you better go, leaving Gray alone with Bradford probably isn't the best idea." This was the old practical Heather, steering him back on course.

"I'll see you soon," With that Jake gave Heather another soft, wet, enveloping kiss and was gone out the door.

The walk back to Town Hall was quick, Jake's distrust of Bradford carried him quickly up the steps and into the building. Nick Bradford was sitting at a desk and was writing some notes. He was tall, about 6'2" with dirty blonde hair. Jake surmised that he was about his same age. He didn't like the thought of a babysitter and there was just something about Bradford that rubbed him the wrong way, he just wished he could put his finger on it.

Bradford was instantly aware of Jake Green's presence. He knew he would have to be very careful around Jake if he was going to successfully carry out his mission of finding the possible terrorist and the package. Bradford knew that for every question someone had, Jake would have three. It would be a difficult task ahead of him. Hell, he couldn't believe that he was in Jericho, Kansas to begin with. Before the bombs fell he had lived a relatively simple life working for the Commerce Department in Washington. Since the bombs fell, however, he had been transferred to a new division - the Department of Homeland Redevelopment. Never in his greatest imagination did he dream he would be using his Harvard Business Law degree to enforce peace agreements between two towns in Kansas.

Jake made his way over to the desk that Bradford had claimed as his own and promptly sat down. "Anything I can help you with?" Jake asked.

Bradford set his pen down and clasped his hands behind his head as he leaned back in the chair, he knew that the only way to deal with Jake Green would be straight up. "I'll need your support tomorrow at the town meeting. I've seen the way people react to you, they will not support me or my efforts here without your support."

"And just what do your efforts include?" Jake asked bluntly.

"They include keeping the people of Jericho safe, Mr. Green. Before the bombs fell, I worked in an office in Washington. Today, I'm here in Jericho, Kansas helping to ensure your safety. By keeping you safe, I keep myself safe. Maybe, just maybe I'll have a chance to make it back to my life, whatever is left of it." Bradford wanted Jake to see him as a man, not as an official.

Jake studied the man in front of him quickly but was still not able to shake his gut feeling. "I won't get in your way, for now anyway. I'll be watching you closely, but you already knew that didn't you?"

"I'll need your help with organizing a trip to New Bern. Colonel Hammond asked me to also check in on a prisoner there, apparently there will be a trial sometime in the next weeks. I'm to make sure that he receives an impartial trial."

Jake was disgusted when he heard the words "impartial trial." Constantino deserved to be dead for the damage he had caused.

Gray entered the room at this point and leaned against an abutting desk. "Jake, I've set the town meeting for tomorrow at 3:00PM. I figure this will give us enough time to notify everyone to be here by then. I'm sure that people will have some questions for Nick, and they will want to know the latest developments concerning Constantino's trial. Gray then changed his tone slightly "Um, Jake, in regards to Miss Lisinski…."

Jake cut Gray off "She's been through a lot Gray, she knows that she needs to talk about what happened to her, but she needs a little time first."

Gray sighed and nodded his head. "I am glad she is back Jake, she will be a good asset for Jericho. I'll give her some time to get settled, but with Constantino's trial beginning soon, she will have to tell us what happened. Her testimony about the munitions plant will be important. No offense, Jake, but we will need more than just Eric's testimony."

The thought of Heather having an impact on the upcoming trial was something that had not yet occurred to Jake. He realized that Gray actually did have a good point. Whatever happened to Heather now had bigger implications than he realized.

With his thoughts back on Heather, Jake stood from his chair. "Is there anything else Gray? If not, I should probably get going, it looks like it will be dark soon and I want to check on the clinic before it gets too late." This was not the real reason Jake wanted to leave so badly, he wondered if either Gray or Bradford had bought his story. The truth was he wanted to spend some time with Heather before the whole town began converging on her. Word travels fast in Jericho, telephone or not.

Gray shook his head no and waved his hand in the air like he was allowing Jake to leave. Bradford stood from his seated position and faced Jake to say "I hope your friend, Heather, will be ok." Apparently Jake hadn't covered his emotions well enough. Bradford had read him like a book. Jake would have to be more careful of this in the future. Jake locked eyes with him and showed no emotion and he turned and left the building. Bradford turned to Gray "Was it something I said? I have a feeling he doesn't like me."

"He is his father's son," was all that Gray said as he walked into Johnston Green's former office and closed the door.


	4. Chapter 4

**We Stand Alone**

**Chapter 4**

With night quickly falling, Emily Sullivan sat quietly, nursing Mary's latest concoction at Bailey's Tavern, thinking about the events of her life and how she had changed her over the past five years.

Growing up, her home life had been less than idyllic. Having Jonah as her father, she had grown up fast….too fast. It had always been hard for her to make friends. When people found out who her father was, judgments about the type of person she was were automatically made. There were only a handful of people that she would consider to be a good friend. Lately, it seemed, those people seemed to disappear from her life.

Emily's thoughts turned to her brother, Chris. Even though he had been four years younger than her, had always managed to look out for his sister. They had been a source of comfort to each other from her earliest memories. Jonah would fly into and out of their lives when it would suit him. His "business" opportunities seemingly always in the way. Chris had been the only stability she had ever known and he was gone now.

The anger and resentment she felt for Jake regarding Chris's death consumed her life for years, then slowly, things began to change for her. She had made friends with Heather, met Roger, and had begun to move on with her life. She had been the happiest she had been in a long time. Things that she let run her before, like Jonah, were pushed to the side to make space for the good things. It was then that she realized that she could not go on hold what had happened to Chris against Jake. The time had come to apologize to Jake and to forgive herself for blaming him all these years.

Her thoughts shifted to the day New Bern attacked Jericho. She had been avoiding Jake since then. He had kissed her that day. She knew the only reason he did it was because he had needed comfort from the loss of his father. The kiss they had stirred emotions within her she thought she had left behind. Since then she had been trying to figure out if a relationship with Jake would work. It had been weeks of listing pros and cons and she was no closer to reaching a decision.

Emily's first thoughts after Stanley entered the tavern with the news regarding Heather's return were about the wonderful friendship they shared. Heather had been one of the few people in her life that had given her a chance…….a chance to prove that there was more to her than being Jonah's daughter. Heather was one of the few people in this world that she had let in to her life since she lost her brother. She was happy to have the chance to let her know just how much her friendship had meant to her.

It was then that Emily recalled Jake's reaction when he had tried to tell her that Heather was dead. She could tell that Jake felt more for Heather than just guilt for letting her go to New Bern. She would be lying to herself if she thought otherwise. She realized right then that fate had made the decision for her. There would be no future for her and Jake. She needed to let go of any thoughts of a reconciliation with him.  
After asking Stanley if he knew where Jake might be, Emily made her way out of Bailey's and walked towards Town Hall where she noticed Jake making his way down the steps. She raised her hand to catch his attention.

Emily flashed Jake a smile. "I just saw Stanley at Bailey's, is it true? Heather is alive?", knowing that she wouldn't truly believe it until it came out of Jake's mouth.

Jake nodded, "She sent Colonel Hammond here to save Jericho. She saved us, Emily." Jake knew what her next question would be and answered her before she could ask. "She was pretty tired so I left her back at her apartment to get some rest."

"Is she all right?" Emily asked, genuinely concerned for her friend. She noticed that Jake's eyes darkened at this question. "Jake, is she all right?" She questioned again, more urgently.

"I don't know what happened to her out there Em, but I can't imagine it was anything good. She seems……a little off. I think she just needs some time to readjust."

Jake couldn't think of a way to sugarcoat the situation and there was no sense in hiding it from Emily. If he noticed that Heather was not herself, certainly Emily would as well.

"I should go see her.." Emily started and was interrupted by Jake who raised his hand to her shoulder.

"Tomorrow might be better, Em. She's had a long trip home."

Emily nodded and deciphered this last statement to mean that he would be seeing Heather soon. This was here chance. It was now or never.

"Jake, listen, there's something I need to talk to you about." she blurted out quickly, before she lost her nerve.

Jake's eyes grew wider with the realization that she wanted to talk about "them". The kiss that they shared in his time of grief was now fresh on his mind. He had needed her comfort then and hoped that she did not mistake it for anything other than what it was.

"You're not the only one who has changed a lot in the past five years, you know." The memories of the times they shared raced through her mind. "I know that what happened with Chris was not your fault. I needed someone to blame. I'm sorry that someone was you."

Jake was stunned, not knowing what to say or where she would go next with their long, overdue talk, he just stared at her like a deer caught in headlights. Emily was apologizing…….to him. Things really had changed.

"I owe you an apology too, Em." Jake had waited a long time for this moment and he chose his words carefully wanting to get it right. "I regret leaving here the way I did. I should have stuck around to work things out. Things may have been different if I would have stayed………. I was a stupid kid who didn't know any better…..I'm sorry." There they were. The things that he had wanted to express to her for so long were finally out in the open.

The awkwardness that they had both felt since Jake arrived back in Jericho started to fade. Emily saw Jake as the man he had become and Jake no longer saw Emily as the hurt young woman he had left behind.

Gently, Emily broached the next topic on her agenda. "Jake, Heather has feelings for you. You know that don't you?" Not wanting to be interrupted, she continued, "I saw your eyes light up, when I asked about her earlier." She hesitated slightly and gave a small smile…"I know that look……I've seen it before.

Emily chose her next words carefully, wanting Jake to know that they were sincere. "Heather has been a very good friend to me Jake. I don't want to see her get hurt."

Jake knew Emily's last statement was made with nothing more than Heather's best interest at heart and he took it for what it was worth. He had no intention of hurting Heather, but he also knew from past experience that his good intentions didn't always work out.

"You headed back to Bailey's?" Jake asked, tilting his head towards the tavern.

"Yeah, thought I would for a while. On your way to see Heather?", knowing already what the answer would be.

Jake smirked. Emily could still read him like she used to. "I Told her I would be back to check up on her. Would you do me a favor and let everyone know there will be a town meeting tomorrow at 3:00PM. Colonel Hammond's left a mediator here to deal with New Bern and Gray wants to show-boat about Constantino's trial." At the mention of Constantino, Jake's thoughts settled back on Heather and the task that he would now need to complete.

"Will do," Emily nodded and made an effort to catch Jake's eye, "Tell Heather I'll be by tomorrow, ……and Jake…..I'm happy for you."

With that said, Emily turned and headed back to Bailey's knowing that she was now a little closer to the person she was just before the bombs had gone off. The person that she knew had been happy. Heather's return had reminded her of who she was before all this craziness had happened and she was thankful for that.

Jake watched Emily walk towards Bailey's and shook his head in disbelief over what had just transpired between them. She still; was one hell of a woman.

Jake turned and started his walk to Heather's apartment. For the first time that evening he noticed the bitterness in in the air. He instinctively knew that this was a sign of things to come. Dread filled his mind at the thought of having to tell Heather they would need her help with Constantino's trial. Jake tried to push the thoughts of how much danger Heather was now in out of his mind. With the town meeting tomorrow, there would be no more time to give her. Heather would have to tell him about New Bern…and it would have to be tonight.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

After Jake left, Heather soaked in a hot tub trying to ease the ache in her body. The gun Jake had given her earlier was within easy reach laying on the floor beside the tub. She thought back to the surprised look on Jake's face when she asked him for it. Hell, the fact she asked for it surprised her too, but after what had happened, she would never be caught unprepared again. She would make sure of it.

She glanced from the gun to the robe that was hanging on the back of the bathroom door. It was one of the few things she had left in this world that had belonged to her mother. Some of her earliest memories were of cuddling up to her mother while she wore it.

Rising from the tub, she dried herself off and wrapped herself up tightly in the robe. She placed the gun in its pocket and went to make herself some tea. Tea in hand, she curled up on the couch placing the gun on the table beside her.

Heather again pulled the robe tightly against herself. She could see the wear of the light blue fabric from time and use. Though it had been washed hundreds of times, she swore she could still smell her mother's scent. Her practical side knew this was silly, and yet, the little girl that still resided in her heart refused to let her practical side win….. just this one time.

She recalled the songs her mother used to sing to her when she would try to fall asleep at night and she smiled at the thought of the silly games they used to play together. Slowly, sleepiness began to take her under as she held on to the only memories she ever had of being truly happy.

Jake noticed the warm glow of a fire emanating from the windows of Heather's home. He knocked lightly on the door frame and slowly opened the door with the key that Heather had given him earlier. She was curled up, fast asleep on the couch. She looked peaceful. The last thing he wanted to do was wake her from the comfort of her sleep but as he was putting fresh logs into the fireplace, he did just that.

"Jake." Heather's voice still scratchy from sleep, startled him. "Is everything o.k.?" She asked.

His back was facing her, and yet, she had been able to tell that he bore yet another burden. He turned to tell her that everything would be fine but he knew the look in his eyes would give him away. Still, he said the words, trying to convince himself as well as Heather to believe in them.

"Everything will be fine……..There's a town meeting tomorrow, Gray wants to have a meet and greet with our new guest and to give an update regarding Constantino's trial." He was trying to broach the subject with as much finesse as possible as he sat down next to her.

"Gray and Bradford would like to know what happened to you before they give their update in case it impacts what they're planning to say."

Heather held his eyes as he settled in beside her and placed an arm around her. "Is it that time…..already?", she asked, already knowing the answer.

The look in Jake's eyes told her that he had already imagined a hundred different horrible scenarios about what happened in New Bern. Though she dreaded having to recall the details of her time away, watching Jake struggle with how to approach her about it only made things worse. She wondered if Jake would be able to look at her the same way once he knew what she had done.

Heather tugged on her the robe as if searching for the support of her mother that she so sadly missed and snuggled her head into Jake's shoulder. She stared into the fire as she began to recall her memories from her time away.

"Where do you want me to start?" Heather asked, keeping her eyes locked on the burning embers in front of her.

Jake started rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb and tightened his grip around her shoulder with his other. Slowly, he began his gentle interrogation.

"Why didn't you come back with the first windmill shipment?"

Heather took in a deep breath and slowly released it. She wanted to pick her words carefully as to make it as easy as possible on the both of them.

"I had figured out what was going on at the plant just before the first shipment was made to Jericho." The emotions she had shoved to the side so that she could just get through these past few weeks began to rear their ugly head and she fought to hold on to her composure and continue her story.

"Constantino had become suspicious by the time the windmills left. I wasn't able to go anywhere by myself. I knew he wasn't about to let me just walk out of there. I figured if I volunteered to stay and help it might buy some time for me to figure something out and maybe throw off his suspicions a bit."

Jake looked down and noticed Heather's hand playing with the belt of her robe as if waiting on him to ask another question. She would tell him what he wanted to know, but it seemed, she wasn't going to offer up much in details without prodding.

"What happened the day you and Eric tried to sabotage the munitions factory?" He felt her body tense at the start of his next question.

"Ted and Russell helped me get the information to Eric about the plant. When we finally realized the scope of the operation we knew we had to act. Heather swallowed hard and continued her story. "Ted helped me lose my escort and Eric and I met up at the assembly plant. We were in the process of setting the fire at the plant when the next thing I know….."

Heather stood up quickly and grabbed for the mantle of the fireplace to steady herself. She was finding it hard to breath. The closer she got to the real horror of that day the more the room closed in around her.

Jake was by her side immediately with a reassuring hand, rubbing her back. He knew this was difficult for her.

"I was surprised by one of Constantino's men." Heather's paused slightly and began again. "His name was Aaron."

Jake noticed Heather's use of the past tense to describe the situation and suspected where things were headed but he let her continue.

"We used to walk home together after school when we were young. I tutored him in math and he used to chase away the bullies that always bothered me." Heather couldn't believe the words that were coming out of her mouth. Saying everything out loud for the first time somehow made it seem like she was actually living through it again.

"I tried to reason with him. There was a struggle," Heather slowly raised her hand to the healing injury on her head, "I think I blacked out for a second."

Heather's voice had become low and monotone as if to detach herself from the words that poured from her mouth.

"When I came too, Eric was fighting with him." The tears started to flow, uncontrollably now. "I bb-begged him to stop." Heather looked at Jake with a pleading look in her eyes as if to ask '_Why didn't he stop?' _

"Eric lost his footing…... Aaron grabbed a steel pipe………I picked up the gun that Aaron had dropped…….it happened so fast….so, so fast."

Heather began to shake uncontrollably and wasn't able to finish her sentence. The last bit of composure she had slipped from her grasp. Her knees began to buckle as Jake's arms came around her waist and they settled to the floor together. Jake held her tightly and rocked her back and forth , whispering comforting things in her ear, trying to ease her pain.

Heather pulled from Jake's warm embrace long enough to look him in the eyes. She shuddered as the words left her lips. "Aaron's last name was Constantino. Jake, he was Phil Constantino's nephew."

Knowing that Constantino was alive and being held in New Bern terrified Heather. She knew very well that if he knew she was alive, not only would he try to stop her from testifying but he would be looking for retribution for the death of his nephew as well.

Jake's gut began to tighten. He also knew the implications of what Heather just told him. She was far from safe, even being home in Jericho. Phil Constantino may be sitting in jail under Russell's control but he knew Constantino still possessed power in New Bern. There were still people willing to follow him. To what extent he did not know. He just knew that the conflict with New Bern was far from over.

Jake soothed Heather until she regained her composure. Once she had, she gathered all the strength she could muster from the arms that were wrapped around her to continue.

"Eric and I figured the best thing to do was to separate. I just began to run. I heard them coming from behind me, I just kept running…..and then I heard the shot, everything just went black. Sensing Jake's next question, Heather opened her robe slightly to reveal the still healing scar from the bullet that had passed through her shoulder.

Jake's whole body tensed as he felt the rage run through him. If it hadn't been for the woman he was holding in his arms, he would have been on his way to New Bern at that exact moment. He placed a kiss on her temple and waited for her to finish her story.

"When I came to, I was in the back seat of Ray Graham's car. Constantino had sent him to confirm his kill and to dispose of my body." Heather shook her head, still not believing that she had been hunted like an animal.

"Mr. Graham attended my daddy's church for years. Every Sunday you could find his whole family in the third pew next to the stained glass windows. He said he couldn't live with himself if he let Constantino get away with what he had been planning."

"Everything gets pretty fuzzy from there. I remember a big, black truck chasing us…and the" Heather shook her head as if trying to jar loose any other information that may have been hiding in the depths of her mind.

"The next thing I remember was waking up at Camp Liberty. Colonel Hammond told me they found me on the side of the road. He said that from the looks of it we had been ambushed."

Heather's eyes began to tear again at the thought of the man who had saved her life and his family. "Mr. Graham and his family….they all….died. They died trying to help me.

Jake was horrified at what she had to endure. It reminded him of his past. The one he still carried with him. He had killed a little girl while he was in Iraq. He hoped that he would be able to provide the same kind of comfort for Heather that his father was able to provide for him.

He held on to Heather tightly as she sobbed into his chest. He rocked her gently, back and forth, easing her into slumber in front of the warmth of the fireplace. Heather's fragility was not lost on him. As soon as she woke, he would seek her permission to be the one to let Gray and Bradford know what had happened.

They were still sitting on the floor, but with Heather in his arms, he could think of no place more comfortable. His last thoughts before sleep claimed him were of protecting Heather. It seemed that he had been destined to do so since their first meeting on the bus.

Constantino would never hurt Heather or anyone else again. He would make sure of it…..personally.


	6. Chapter 6

We Stand Alone - Chapter 6

The bitterness of the cold, April morning had awakened Jake from his deep slumber. It had been a long time since he had found the kind of sleep that visited him last night. He knew that it must have had to do with the wonderful woman he still cradled in his arms. They had both fallen asleep on the floor in front of the fireplace. Granted, normally it wouldn't have been the most comfortable of spots to sleep for the night but with Heather in his arms it seemed as comfortable as one of the Four Season's best feather beds.

Heather sensing his watchful gaze began stirring in his arms. She opened her eyes slowly, praying that she hadn't been in the midst of another homecoming dream. She found Jake's eyes locked on hers and gave him a smile that could have melted the polar ice caps…….. pure happiness with just a hint of embarrassment. 'This feeling sure is familiar' was the first thought that popped into her head. With Jake, she finally was able to let her guard down and be herself. Someone she wasn't able to be in a very long time. Her thoughts then turned to last night and the nightmare of reliving that horrible night. Her eyes narrowed and a look of pure fear started to show on her face. Her soft features became strained.

Jake immediately saw the change in her eyes. They went from light and peaceful to dark and distant, it was as if someone had flipped a switch. He reached for Heather's cheek to bring her eyes back to his and to keep her in the here in the now with him instead of lost somewhere in the past. He knew what it was like when the past got a hold of you and he wished to spare her from the same if he could. She would need time to regain her strength. He would be there for her when she was ready to talk more about it. Just like his father had offered to do for him. She had repeatedly brought him back from the edge and now he would do the same for his Heather.

"Why don't you go get dressed and I'll get another fire started in here." Jake was hoping for a little time alone to gather his thoughts about the information that Heather had relayed to him the previous evening.

Heather looked down to find that she was still in her mother's robe and nothing else. She became self-conscious as she felt a blush come over her face. She gave Jake another smile and headed into her bedroom to change.

Jake smiled to himself. He found it funny that Heather could keep it together enough to walk through hell to get back to Jericho and yet she found it completely unnerving to be in alone in the same room with him. He could see that she had changed, that she had become more hard from her experience, but he was glad that he could also see the same fun-loving, shy, awkward girl that had garnered his attention from their first meeting on the bus.

Jake then turned his thoughts to last night's conversation and the upcoming meeting with Gray and Nick Bradford. He remembered Heather's reaction last night when she told him her story and didn't want her to have to relive it again. With her permission, he would fill Gray and Bradford on what happened in New Bern, himself.

Jake had the fire going strong by the time Heather had emerged from the bedroom. The sweater she wore was at least two sizes too big and she had to hold up her jeans with one hand while she carried her belt in the other. Not only had food in New Bern been scarce but her recent accident and all the stress she had endured in the past few weeks had really taken its toll. She made her way to the kitchen and got a knife to add a couple of holes to the belt before putting it on and tightening it around her waist. With that task complete, she settled next to Jake on the couch.

It was then he noticed a photo album on the stand next to him. "Can I?" To say that he was curious about Heather's past was an understatement. It seemed with the exception of the last five years, everyone in Jericho knew every little detail of who he was.

Heather nodded her head thankful for the distraction and the chance to talk about "normal" times. As they flipped through the beginning pages of the album she told Jake about her first few birthday parties and Christmases. There was even a picture of Heather at the age of seven passing her father a wrench while he was hard at work under the hood of a truck that by the looks of it was Charlotte.

"I see you've been mechanically inclined for a while now. Let me guess, you were rebuilding motors by age ten?" Jake was trying to keep the conversation as light as possible.

Heather giggled, "Close……twelve.….Daddy was a mechanic at the break-assembly plant in New Bern and rebuilt motors in his spare time. I was his little helper."

Jake flipped through a few more pages and listened to a few more "growing up" stories like the first lost tooth and first broken bone. He was three quarters of the way through the album when the pictures stopped.

"Where's the rest of the pictures? What happens next?" he asked. He was actually having fun listening to stories of "little Heather." She had been just as he imagined she would have been.

"Well, that's about the time when my mom got sick. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in November and by April she was gone. It's hard to believe she's been gone for twelve years now."

"I'm sorry." was all Jake could think to say. He didn't know that trying to find out more about Heather would cause a painful trip down memory lane.

"It's something that I had to come to terms with a long time ago." Heather replied.

Jake hesitated for a moment unsure if he should even ask about her father but in the end his curiosity won out. "Your dad?"

"He was never the same after my mom died. He began to drink and never found his way out of the bottle. He lost his job at the plant and retreated into himself. The only time I seemed to be able to connect with him was when I would help out in his shop…….I hung out there every day hoping we could connect like we used to but it never happened. He died my senior year of college and I came back this way to settle his estate and couldn't bring myself to leave the area."

Heather could tell by the look on Jake's face that he was searching for some comforting words to say and it warmed her heart. "It's ok., Jake……I'm ok."

Jake smiled and nodded his head. "You seem a little bit more than just o.k. to me." He then slipped a hand behind Heather's neck and pulled her into a kiss. A kiss filled with tenderness and comfort that he knew he would never able to express with words. Heather then settled into Jake's arms and nestled her head into his shoulder. She knew from the beginning that this had been his way to distract her from the meeting that was going to be taking place this morning. She knew it would be coming soon and would need time to prepare.

"So what time is Gray's meeting?" Heather asked.

"We've got a few hours before we have to meet with them. Listen, if you don't feel up to this, why don't you let me talk to them for you." Jake then gave Heather a smile and took her hand in his.

Heather suspected that he would try and do something like this for her but she wasn't having any of it. She squeezed his hand, "If I've learned one thing from all of this Jake, it's how to stand up for myself. There's no way Constantino, or anyone else for that matter, is going to dictate how I run my life. Telling you about what happened was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I know that it'll be hard to do again but I've got you in my corner now. I'm not alone anymore."

Jake gave a small laugh and shook his head at the woman sitting next to him. She never ceased to amaze him. He wrapped an arm around her and kissed her temple and they sat in front of the fireplace together, neither one of them in a hurry to go anywhere.

Emily had awoken this morning with a sense of confidence she hadn't felt in a long time. The conversation she had had with Jake hadn't been an easy one but it was one that had finally set them both free. She was on her way Bailey's to catch up on the latest news. She had no doubt that it would be filled with news of Heather's return. She was anxious to stop by and see her friend but knew that Jake was with her and that they probably could use the time alone.

She had just rounded the corner by Murthy's gas station when she ran right into Nick Bradford.

"Sorry!" both of them apologized at the same time and then laughed.

"Sorry." Nick said again. "I'm still getting used to the layout of the town and was looking at my little map here instead of looking where I was going." He then raised the map he held in his hand to show his crudely drawn map.

"It's o.k., at least you have an excuse, I was just day dreaming." Emily knew that this must be the attache that the army had left behind. Talk about his presence had already made it around Jericho. "Emily Sullivan." She extended her hand out to welcome Jericho's latest newcomer.

"Nick Bradford, pleasure to meet you. Jericho seems like a nice little town, I would have liked to have seen it before…..well just before."

Emily nodded her head. "Small town America at it's best." She then glanced down at the map still in Nick's hand. "So can I help you find something?"

"I was just on my way to the Med Center. Colonel Hammond wanted me to establish a relationship with the director to make sure that they're kept in medical supplies."

"Oh, well then you're gonna want to talk to Gail Green. She's been running things over there for the past few months." Emily noticed a look of defeat in Nick's eyes that she wasn't sure where it was coming from.

"Any relation to Jake Green?" Nick wasn't sure if he was up for another one-on-one with another member of the Green family so soon into his stay.

Emily chuckled and raised her hand to her mouth. "That would be Jake's mother." Emily's smile widened as Nick began to shake his head.

"Is there anywhere in this town that doesn't have a Green running it? I need a drink already and it's only eight in the morning."

Emily then let out another giggle "That would be Bailey's but I should warn you, Mary may run the place but she's with Eric…..Eric Green."

"Well, of course she is." Nick couldn't help but try and find some humor in all of this. "And you, Emily Sullivan, don't tell me you're somehow a Green too?"

Emily paused for a second and then grinned……"No, just a good family friend. Now, let's see about getting you to the Med Center. Care for an escort?"

"Best offer I've heard in a long time. After you." As they headed off for the Med Center, Nick could only offer his hope to Emily that he would have a less difficult time in dealing with Gail Green then he did with her son.

Emily allowed herself a small grin as they started their walk. If he only knew.


	7. Chapter 7

Nick Bradford had just returned to the Town Hall with a very thorough list of medical supplies from none other than Jake Green's mother, Gail. He could tell that the apple didn't fall far from the tree in that family. She was strong-willed, intelligent and great with the back-handed comments just like her son. 

Emily had warned him on the walk over to the med center that Gail could be a force of nature to be reckoned with if he didn't watch himself. He could tell that this was no exaggeration. He also knew his mission of finding the package was going to be harder then he had expected. Jericho had become a united force after what they had had to endure and he didn't expect anyone to be offering up any useful information to him just because he was there. It would take time and he would have to earn their trust.

Jake and Heather arrived at Town Hall for her interview and found Bradford sitting at his desk. Jake was going to make sure that there would be "rules" for this interview. He would sit in and at any time Heather wanted to stop she would be able to but he never got the chance.

The radio that was perched on Nick's desk began to squeal. "Jericho, come in, this is New Bern. Over." Nick released the radio from its holder and pushed in the button to speak. "New Bern this is Jericho, proceed. Over". The man at the other end of the radio began "We have major trouble, Constantino…." 

Suddenly, the sound of gun fire and a struggle interrupted the transmission. Nick tried desperately to reach someone on the other end of the radio. "New Bern, come in, over." Nothing but dead silence answered him. The three of them all exchanged worried glances and Nick tried again to raise someone on the radio. Again, nothing. They waited. Finally, a crackling noise and heavy breathing brought them out of their individual thoughts. One word crossed the airwaves before the radio went silent again. "Escaped."

Jake turned to Heather and placed both hands on her shoulders. "I need you to go find Eric, Jimmy, Bill and Gray and bring them back here ASAP. Heather locked eyes with Jake and nodded that she understood. She turned and was gone out the door a moment later. 

"Now hold on, Jake." Nick knew if he didn't get a handle on things before they started he would have no control over the situation whatsoever. 

"Hold on?" The anger in Jake's voice was evident. Though he had promised to try and stay out of Nick's way, there was no way in hell he would let Constantino regroup to come after them again. 

Bradford stood up from his chair and raised both hands to try and settle him down. "Let me get Colonel Hammond on the radio. He will take care of this, I promise you."

"Like he took care of it the last time? Jake's blood was beginning to boil at the thought of the compromise they had been forced into by the Colonel. He knew having New Bern provide security for Constantino was not a good idea from the beginning, but he trusted Russell to do the right thing. He wondered what had happened out there for Constantino to be able to escape. 

"Jake, I understand your anger but this is not the way things are going to be handled. You can be either part of the problem or part of the solution, I'll leave that up to you. I'm sure the Colonel will take care of this in short measure." Bradford was hopeful that Jake might listen to him. He didn't need Jake to run off half-cocked and end up dead. The people of Jericho would never cooperate with him if he did. "Please, Jake. Let me handle this."

Jake placed both hands on Bradford's desk and looked him straight in the eyes. "You make your call, but let's get one thing clear right here and now. I will do anything and everything to make sure Jericho and its people remain safe. Do we have an understanding?"

Bradford nodded and reached for the radio once again. "Delta one, come in, this is Jericho. Over."

Jake turned to leave the hall and made it out to the foyer when Heather returned with Eric, Jimmy, Bill and Gray. 

"In case Heather hasn't already filled you in, Constantino has escaped custody over in New Bern." Nods from the four of them confirmed that Heather had, indeed, informed them of the situation. 

"Jimmy, Bill, Eric, I need you to round up the Rangers and set up a perimeter just in case we have trouble headed this way. No one in or out without the proper credentials, understood?" They all nodded and took off out the door to set up the proper security.

Jake took a deep breath and turned to Gray. "I need you to keep an eye on Bradford for me, Gray. Monitor his radio transmissions as best you can make sure he stays on the up and up with us." Gray nodded his head at Jake and lifted his chin. "You can trust me, Jake." Jake returned his nod and grabbed Heather by the elbow to lead her outside.

Once they had reached the street he stopped and placed both hands on either side of her face. "I need you to go out to the Med Center and tell my mother what's going on and then I want the two of you to go back to the house and wait for me or Eric to come find you."

"But, I…." Heather was quickly interrupted. "I know you want to help, but right now, there's nothing you can do. Please, just go get my mother." Jake knew she wouldn't waste anytime trying to get back into the thick of things again. It was her nature. Right now, however, he wanted her safe and far away from the possible front lines. She nodded, the disappointment evident on her face and turned in the direction of the Med Center. He grabbed her arm and turned her back to him, enveloped her in his arms and took a deep breath. They stood there together intertwined for a long moment. When they finally broke apart he kissed her lips softly, tenderly. "Now, go." She nodded again, but this time she gave him a small smile before turning and going. 

Jake turned to head back into the hall when Gray and Bradford emerged from its doors. The look on both their faces told Jake that he would not be hearing good news anytime soon. He got straight to the point as they stopped in front of him. "What?"

"Colonel Hammond's regimen is engaged with Silver Springs and Cross Creek at the moment. It seems what happened between Jericho and New Bern has been happening in quite a few other areas as well. He can't afford to send any troops at the moment." Bradford waited for the back-handed comment he knew was coming.

"So much for letting you handle it, Bradford. The disgust was evident in the tone of his voice. "What no one outside of Jericho seems to realize is that we know what's best for us. It's how we've survived this long." 

"Constantino is one man," Bradford offered, "you don't think he's gonna try waltzing into Jericho do you?"

Jake shook his head. "He didn't escape from that cell by himself. Which means he has help. Just how far and deep that help runs is the question. They could be reforming to attack on Jericho as we speak, we have no idea what is coming. We have to make sure we're prepared for anything."

Bradford nodded in agreement. Then offered, "Colonel Hammond might not be able to spare his troops but he is sending in a private security force to help. They should be here in the next 48 - 72 hours."

Jake felt the hairs stand up on the back of his neck. "The name of this security force?" he asked in an even tone.

"Ravenwood." 


End file.
